Lubricator



31115' 45 1950 L. E. SIMMoNs A 2,513,824

LUBRICATOR A i @5216@ Feb. 15. 1,947 :2 sheets-'Sheet 1 July 4, 1950lv.. E. SIMMONS 2,513,824

ALUBRICTOR I i Filed Feb. 15, 1947 2 Smets-sheet a I lyg. /9 25T) 4g /g2/0 /5 17 3@ @W .111ml 1 u l h l \t *uhm L96 nl* lh, ly V Patented July4, 1950 LUBRICATOR Leon E. Simmons, Claremont, N. H., assignor to JoyManufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationFebruary 15, 1947, Serial No. 728,783

7 Claims.

This invention relates to lubricators and more particularly to animproved automatic lubricator for a uid operated mechanism wherein uponfluid flow to the mechanism, lubricant flow is automatically initiated,and upon interruption of fluid flow to the mechanism, lubricant flow is,

automatically discontinued.

In fluid operated mechanisms, and particularly in a fluid operated coalcutting machine, it has heretofore been common practice to locate themachine lubricator in the fluid supply line, and such line-lubricatorsare usually of relatively small capacity, requiring several fillingsduring a Working shift. The present invention, from a broad aspect,contemplates a lubricator for a fluid operated mechanism such as a fluidoperated coal cutting machine, wherein the lubricator is embodied in themachine and is provided with a relatively large lubricant reservoir sothat lubricant sufficient for at least a working shift is carried by themachine and is automatically supplied, during operation of the machine,to the moving parts to be lubricated. From a more specic aspect, thelubricator may embody a lubricant reservoir formed in the rear head ofthe motor of the machine, and a fluid inlet chamber is formed in theusual reverse-gear-housing of the motor, and passage means are providedin the motor head and gear housing for supplying pressure fluid to thelubricant reservoir and for discharging lubricant from the reservoir tothe fluid inlet chamber so that lubricant is entrained with the fluidflowing through the fluid inlet chamber` to the motor and therebyconducted to the moving motor parts. From a more specific aspect, theinvention may consist of a self-contained lubricator valve unit of theautomatically controlled, pressure-fluid-governed, gravity-feed typewhich is carried by the motor head and is arranged in the lubricantreservoir; and this valve unit has associated therewith a valve devicewhich is automatically closed when the valve unit is detached from themotor head to prevent undesired iiow of lubricant from the lubricantreservoir, and when the valve unit is reinserted in its operativeposition in the motor head, the valve device is moved into its openposition and held there. The lubricator valve unit may be entirelyself-contained and preferably of tubelike form so that it may be readilyplaced in the relatively restricted space provided in the motor head ofthe machine.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved lubricator.Another object is to provide an improved lubricator arranged in a novelmanner and having associated therewithl avlubri-V:

cant reservoir of relatively large capacity. A further object is toprovide an improved automatic. lubricator for supplying lubricantto theuidi inlet chamber of a fluid operated motor.- A fur ther object is toprovide an improved fluid operated lubricator which is automaticallyrendered active upon iiui'd flow tol the mechanism to ber lubricated andwhich -is automatically renderedinactive whenever theflow of pressurefluid to the mechanism isdiscontinued. Ak still further object is toprovide an improved lubricator'valve which may be removed as a unit fromits associated mechanism and having cooperating therewith a valve deviceWhich is moved automatically to closed position to prevent flowoflubricant'from the reservoir upon removal of the lubricator valve unitand which is automatically moved to open position whenever thelubricator valve unit is placed in its operative position. object is toprovide an improved automatic lubricator for a uid operated motor forautomatically:

supplying lubricant to theA motor upon running of the latter and forautomatically discontinuinglubricant flowwhenever the motor is shutdown..

Yet another object is to provide an improved automatically controlled,vpressure fluid governed; gravity-feed lubricator Which -isautomatically rendered active upon the supply of pressure iiuid theretoand which is automatically rendered inactive when flow of pressure fluidis discontinued.'A

A further object is to provide an improved automatic lubricator for afluid operated mechanism wherein upon removal of a part of thelubricator, the lubricant discharge passage leading from the lubricantreservoir is automatically closed andY wherein When the lubricator partis reinserted in' its operative position the lubricant discharge passageis automatically opened. Still another object.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken sub-` stantially on line 2-2of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Still another,

Fig. 4 is a Vertical sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View similar to Fig. Ll,y with thelubricator Valve unit removed.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of Fig. 3,showing parts on an enlarged scale.

Fig. '7 vis an elevational view ofthe-detached lubricator valve unit. yIn this illustrative embodiment of the invention, the improvedlubricator is generally designated I and is herein shown embodied in afluid operated mechanism, for example, a coal cutting machine generallydesignated q2, `-for supplying lubricant to certain moving parts of themachine. It will be evident, however, that the improved lubricator maybe associated with'fluidoperated mechanisms of other kinds.

The coal cutting machine 2 is herein of the conventional roomand-pillar, floor cutter type having -ahbody f3 slidable-on itsbottom-over the floor of a ruine, vrand projecting horizontallylengthwise of the body -is-anelongatedp1ane cutter'bar Ivhavinganendless 'cutter chainy 5-guided for circulation about f its margin.Conventional cable winding drums 6 and y'-'I Vare mounted at* thesidesbf'fthe v`rearwardportion of '--the body andhaver-respectivelyfwoundlthereon feeding and controlling-cablesflandfwhich `have their i freeY ends attachable to suitableanchorjacks-and servev to feedl ari'djg-uide. the-machine bodily 4over thermine floor both during maneuvering :and the cutting operations. Carriedbythe machine ,body is a conventional -uid operated `motor Il).preferably of the fintere-ngag-ing rotor A-'type, 4hav-ing intermeshingrotor gears I I, II,and'thismotor` serves to y'drive the-cutter chainandthe `cable ywinding drums in a, manner well known to those skilled inthear-t. The motorfhas-la-Ica'sing I2-formedwith suitablepa-ralleloverlapping :bores for receiving the -motor -rotors I I I and -islprovided --.w-ith a rear head i I 3-and an4 intermediate-reverseI gearhousing I`4. "The motor head has acentral bosslike portion I5 'forsupporting 'bearings Afor a transmissionshaft drivenby the-motor. Asis-usual in motors of this type, the-housing I4'fhas -a chamberIIfto-which =iiuid under-pressure may be supplied through^a--hoseconnection I'I, and fluid is suppliedfrorn-this chamber tothe inlet ofthernotor.

:Now-referring tothe improved lubricator, it will be A noted that formedin the rear motorA head I3 and surrounding the-bossl-ike-portion I-5 isa relatively large chamberv I 8 which isrelatively narrow andofrelatively great heightand length extending substantially -the fullheight and vthe full width of the l'motor head (as shown in lFig. 3),therebyV providing a lubricant reservoir of relatively largecapacity.A'usual-removab1e-ller plug I`9 is -providedfforreplenishing thelubricant supply. A relatively restricted passageway 20 connectsthe topof the-lubricant reservoir with the topl of the Vfluid inlet chamber IVEso that the pressure acting onthe surface of the lubricant remainssubstantially constant-during iiuid flow to the motor.Arrangedatthebottom-of the narrow vertical chamber I8 inthe-rearImotor'head is a rectangular block 2I suitably xed in position as bywelding between the wallsof the head, and thisiblock is formed withavertical bore 22. A horizontal Jlubricant discharge passageway 23 formedin the blockfhead-andgear housing connects thefbore Y2'2 withy the'luidinlet chamberl 6 of the motor. Reciprocable vertically in vtheblock-bore is asleeve valve"24-having a closed -upper end and which isconstan-tlyurged upwardly a-square head 29 for turning purposes. -fisthreaded in a bore 36 in the top of the motor 4 toward a position toclose the lubricant discharge passageway 23 by a coil spring 25, hereinsupported at its lower end by a plug threaded within an opening in thebottom of the motor head.

In this improved construction, a self-contained lubricator valve unit 26is arranged in the head .chamber I8 and comprises an elongated tubelikebody 5-21 shaped at-its lower-.end 'to fit-.within the block bore 22.The upper end ofA the `vtubelilre body is in the form of a threaded plug28 having This plug head as shown. Slidable in an axial bore SI in thebodyvZ/sl is a lpiston or plunger 32, and this piston has-a fluid tightfit in the bore 3| to reduce leakage vupwardly past the piston.Attached, as lbyalose pinconnection, at 33, to the lower end of thepiston is a stem of a valve 34, the latter at its lower .end beinghemispherical in shape and adapted to seat against a conical seat S5formed on-afpl'ugA 36 threaded within the lower endof a lubricator`body. The loose connection :between the piston and the -valve stemvpermits ailimited lateral` freedom of movement of the valve relativetoits vseat to insure.A proper seating. 'spring 3'! in the bore 3I actsIon theupper end of the piston constantly to urgethevalveflktoward itsseat. An axial l-passagerll in I.the plug :.36 connects the valve seat.with a transverse groove 39 in the :lower face of the plug, the :groovecommunicating with the block-bore 22 above the sleeve valve 24=when thelatter is depressed. The upper endof the .bore 3l is vented toatmosphere-through a restricted vent passagelll which opens at its upperendlateral1y through the upper plug-like portion28 -of the body, lasclearlyshown in Fig. 3. The lower endv ofthe body iabove the plug '36 isformed with a chamber 14| which is connected through lateral openings 42inthe body with the head-chainber i!8. Tightly surrounding the klowerportion of .the body and passing-over the openings 42 isa cylindricscreeng43 'for preventing access of dirt to the lubricant dischargepassageway 23.

When the lubricator valve unit 26 is in itsfioperative position shownin'FigsMl and '6, .the lower face of the'plugf, securedto the lower endof the lubricator body'2l, engages the Sleeve valve' 24 to'moverand holdthe latter in its 'depressed .position I`with ythe lubricant dischargepassageway-23 in vopen communication with the block-bore 122. With theparts so disposed and upon supply of fluid under pressure through the-hose connection I'I to the motor inlet chamber It, fluid flows throughthe passageway 42l) to Ythe cham-berm, wherein itacts upon the surfaceof the lubricant. The pressure acting on the surface of fthe lubricantis transmitted through the lubricant to the lower surface of the piston32, and as the pressures acting on the-valve 34 substantiallycounterbalance Teach other, the unbalanced'uid pressure on the pistonmoves the latter upwardly to unseat the valve .34, 'When this valve isunseated, lubricant may ow by gravity from the reservoir through thescreen 43, openingsz42,axial passage 38 andrtransverse groovef39 in the`plug 3S .and thencethrough the'block-borep22 and lubricant dischargepassageway 23 tothe motorv inlet chamber'I 6 wherein the lubricant isentrained with the air 'owingto the motor inlet and thereby carried'tothe moving parts of the motor to lubricate the same. It l.willfbeunderstood that the valve`i34 will be maintained open as long as -uidunder pressure is supplied .to the chamber. ISyandfwhen flow of pressurefluid-to the chamber rI'S is discontinued, vthe .pressure :therein rdrops, :thereby seat, thereby to cut off lubricant ow. When it isdesired to detach the lubricator valve unit froml the motor head for anypurpose, as for example, for inspection or cleaning of the strainer, theplug 28 may be unthreaded from the opening 30 andv the lubricator unitlifted bodily from the motor chamber. When the lubricator valve unit isremoved, as shown in Fig. 5, the coil spring 25 automatically moves thesleeve valve 24 into its uppermost position wherein communication `ofthelubricant discharge passageway 23 with the block-bore 22 is cut offby the valvejthus preventing undesired gravity-flow of lubricant fromthe lubricant reservoir. When the lubricator valve unit is againinserted into its operative position in the head chamber, the lower faceof the plug 36 engages the sleeve valve and forces the sleeve valvedownwardly against the action of the spring again to open communicationof the lubricant discharge passageway 23 with the block-bore 22.

As a result of this invention, it will be noted that an improvedautomatic lubricator is provided for a fluid operated mechanism, whichis not only extremely compact and simple in design but which alsoprovides a lubricant reservoir of relatively large capacity. It willfurther be evident that an improved fluid operated lubricator isprovided which is automatically rendered active upon fluid flow to themechanism to be lubricated and which is automatically rendered inactivewhenever the flow of pressure fluid to the mechanism is discontinued, Itwill also be evident that by the provision of the self-containedlubricator valve unit and the associated valve device, the lubricantdischarge passageway is automatically closed by the valve device uponremoval of the lubricator valve unit; and the valve device isautomatically moved into a position to open the 1ubricant dischargepassageway whenever the lubricator valve unit is placed in its operativeposition. Further, by the provision of the improved lubricatorarrangement, it is possible to locate the lubricator in the relativelyrestricted space provided in a conventional coal cutting machine whileat the same time providing a lubricant reservoir of relatively largecapacity designed to operate without refilling at least during a workingshift. These and other advantages of the invention will be clearlyapparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifi-cally described one formwhich the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthis form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a pressure iluid chamber, a lubricant reservoir, apassage for establishing restricted communication between said chamberand said reservoir for subjecting the lubricant to a substantiallyconstant pressure during fluid flow through said chamber, a dischargepassage for conducting lubricant from said reservoir to said chamber, avalve device for opening and closing said discharge passage, and anautomatic control valve unit governed by the pressure acting on thelubricant in said reservoir for controlling uid ilow through saiddischarge passage, said control valve unit being operative when placedin operative relation with said passages and said reser-` voir to movesaid valve device into its openposition, and means for moving said valvedevice automatically into a position to close said discharge passagewhen said automatic valve unit is removed from 'said reservoir.

2. In combination, a casing, a lubricant reservoir formed in saidcasing, a iiuid chamber, a passage for establishing restrictedcommunication between said chamber and said reservoir for subjecting thelubricant to a substantially constant pressure during fluid flow throughsaid chamber, a discharge passage for conducting lubricant from saidreservoir to said chamber, a fluid pressure governed, gravity-feedlubricant control valve device attached to said casing and positioned insaid reservoir for controlling lubricant ow through said dischargepassage, a control valve engaged by a, part of said control valve devicewhen the latter is inserted in operative position on said casing withinsaid reservoir, said control valve being held in open position by saidpart of said control valve device and movable automatically into aposition to close said discharge passage when said control valve deviceis detached from said casing, and means for moving said control valveinto said latter position.

3. In a lubricator, a casing providing a lubricant reservoir to whichpressure uid is adapted to be supplied, a passage for conductinglubricant from said reservoir to a part to be lubricated, a controlvalve constantly urged toward a, position to close said passage, and anautomatic control valve unit positionable in said casing and governed bythe reservoir pressure, said valve unit arranged within said reservoirfor regulating lubricant ilow through said passage, said valve unit uponbodily insertion thereof into its operative controlling position actingon said control valve to move the latter into its open position.

4. In a lubricator, a casing providing a lubricant reservoir to whichpressure uid is adapted to be supplied and having a dischargepassageway, an automatic control valve unit attachable to said casingand governed by the pressure in said reservoir for regulating lubricantilow through said passageway, a control valve normally held open by saidvalve unit and movable automatically to a position to close saidpassageway when said valve unit is bodily detached from said valvecasing, and means for moving said valve into such position.

5. In a lubricator, a lubricant reservoir to which iluid under pressureis adapted to be supplied and having a discharge passageway, a valve fornormally closing said passageway, and a lubricant control valve devicegoverned by the reservoir pressure and having a part engageable withsaid valve for moving the latter into and for holding the same in itsopen position when said control valve device is bodily placed in itsoperative controlling position within said reservoir.

6. In a lubricator, a casing having a, chamber providing a lubricantreservoir to which pressure fluid is adapted to be supplied, said casinghaving a wall formed with an opening and a parallel wall formed with abore, a lubricant discharge passage communicating with said bore, and aself-contained closure plug and lubricant control valve unit insertiblethrough said opening within said reservoir and provided with a closureplug portion for closing said opening with the inner end of said unitreceived in said bore and including an automatic fluid actuated controlvalve governed by the reservoir pressure for controlling the '11:' ow oflubricantfrom :said.:,reservoir, 'to isaid dischargepassage; A

7'. In a, lubricator, a-icasing having,v a` chamber. providing a,rlubricant' reservoir' t'owhich uid. under pressureis adapted tovbesupplied, .said casing having a wall'formed with an opening. and: aparallel Wall formed `with a bore; a, lubricant discharge passagecommunicating with said bore,- a self-contained lubricantcontrolvalvel'unit in sertible through said opening Within-saidzreser- Voirwith its inner endreceived in said'bore and. including anautomatic fluidactuated control valve governed bythe; pressure in said reservoir( forcontrolling the. flow of lubricant from said reservoir to saiddischargepassage, a normally open valve reciprocable in' saidbore and heldinopen: positionV by-vsaid4 control valve'unit when the latter is in itsoperativeV controlling position; saidA valve being movableautomatically'to a-positiontoaclosev said discharge. passage` whensaid-A control: valveV unit. is. detached, from said` casing, and.means-` for moving said valve into saidlatten position.

, LEON E. SIMMONS.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of recordrin thev file' of.this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,513,824July 4, 1950 LEON E. SIMMONS It is hereby certed that error appears theprinted specification of the above numbered patent requlrng correctionas follows:

Column 4L, line 17, for lose read loose; column 8, list of referencescited, add the following:

2,209,856 smith July 20,1920 2,252,226 mmh, July 4,1244

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, sothat the same may conform to the record of the oase in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of April, A. D. 1951.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

